Abnormalities of the Vertebral Artery Are Cervical Pressure Defects Being Overlooked in Palaeopathology?

The vascular system, as it passes through grooves and foramina along the surfaces of bones, can leave impressions on the skeleton. The areas where bones and vessels come into close contact can allow palaeopathologists to investigate vascular variations and pathological changes long after the loss of any soft tissues. For example, abdominal (Diekerhof et al., 2002; Ando et al., 2003) and thoracic (Sheeran & Sclafani, 2000; Takahashi et al., 2007) aneurysms can lead to lesions on the vertebrae.